


How to Cancel Out Reluctance

by Vexicle



Series: Ice Cream Sundae [6]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-01 02:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13988643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vexicle/pseuds/Vexicle





	1. Cat

“It's… it's not appropriate for me to be here.” Aquilo’s blue eyes are narrowed, and his stance is wary. Cherry just laughs, to his obvious displeasure.

“Dude, you make it sound like I'm going to dress you up in leather and make you whip me in the ass,” Cherry teases from her position at her desk. She'd called him here under the pretense of needing help with work. She knows he'd never ever go into her room otherwise. Aquilo’s exiled himself from her bedroom since they both turned thirteen, and quite honestly? She's missed his presence, and all the fun sleepovers and stuff they used to do (along with Iggy).

Now that they're dating, though, Cherry wants to create some more… fun experiences. Judging by how long he has been standing, no, _fidgeting_ at the doorway, Cherry assures herself she made a good first move. 

_We’re a couple._ Just the thought makes her feel all fuzzy inside.

“Oh my god, _no_.” Aquilo glares at her, crossing his arms. Seemingly for a lack of better things to do, Aquilo finally steps inside and wanders around her room aimlessly. Cherry can tell otherwise, however - his body is way too tense, and he's blushing again, refusing to meet her eyes.

“Relax, you've been here so many times already. What's the problem?” Cherry chirps, craning her neck to watch him pace across her pink rug. She studies him intently as the blond sneaks a peek into her closet. He reaches out with one hand that stays hovering in the air, seemingly wanting to check out the contents of her closet but too polite to. Cherry bets he can't wait to see her in all sorts of cute outfits, just for his eyes only.

“...you didn't need help at all, did you?” Aquilo mutters, bringing his hand down in one swift motion. He doesn't even need to be looking at her for Cherry to know that he's scowling accusingly.

“Outsmarted as usual. Awww, how did you figure it out?” Cherry asks with a hint of mischief embedded in her faux disappointment.

“Oh I don't know, maybe it's how your stuff isn't even _on the table_ -” Aquilo squeaks as he finds something heavy slam into him, toppling him over onto her bed. “What the fuck? That hurt!”

“You're right. You'd make a great Sherlock,” Cherry says matter-of-factly, smiling down at him, watching how his look of shock slowly morphs into one of anger. _Fiery._ Some of her curly bangs drop into her eyes, annoyingly enough. Rather than swat it away, she simply flops down next to her boyfriend - and to her delight (and his horror) the bed is a little cozy. It'll be enough to share if they snuggle. _Just as planned._

“I… I.. you… you w-what?” Aquilo stammers, evidently drifting between his two states of being: he's blushing, his body is tense and on edge, but still he attempts to glare Cherry down. All this accomplishes is enlarge Cherry’s mischievous smile. A few more seconds and he actually starts hissing at her like a cat; it's so unexpected she bursts out into laughter.

“I want to kiss you,” she says sincerely, as her giggles quieten and she draws him into her embrace.

“Y-you… couldn't have just said that?” Aquilo mutters, frowning a little. Cherry’s eyes wander down as he bites his lip, making vague noises that spell reluctance. The way his body curls around hers tells a different tale, however.

_Of course I couldn't have done that because you're so… pure,_ Cherry chides Aquilo mentally. She pictures what his response might have been - disgust, pure revulsion, then probably running off to hide under the couch, or something. She giggles and tugs on his arm, trying to drag him closer, to feel his warm, inviting heat seep into her entire being.

“Ah, well, I… I um…” From this angle, they're perfectly level - all the better for Aquilo to stubbornly avoid her gaze. “Back on the train… I… w-we… that...? Kind of thing? Y-you?” he stammers. Cherry leans in, picking up on his elevated heartbeat, how heavily he's breathing. They're so close now, face-to-face with each other, and Cherry feels like all her hairs are standing on end. Aquilo’s brilliant blues finally settle onto her; brows furrowed and unsure. She can feel his tension, wishing Aquilo would let her do something about it.

“Yup. It's okay, Quilly,” she coos in the most soothing, gentle voice she can muster. “Don't be nervous. I like you, you like me, we can take this slowly.” With a little effort, she reaches out to rub his shoulder comfortingly. Aquilo’s so warm and cuddly - she could do this forever, lay here, hug him tight, maybe kiss his breath away.

That is, if he'd _let_ her, the damn bastard.

Now, she definitely isn't one to support forcing others into romantic situations and all that - but from the way his breath hitches and his eyes flicker to her constantly before he blushes even harder - Cherry would like him to just let go of his restraint, just for once already! She wants to, and she _knows_ he does, so why can't he just _go_ for it?

“Yeah, I… okay.” Aquilo takes a deep breath, and Cherry finally does what she's been itching to do for the longest time - pressing her lips to his. 

Cherry feel Aquilo’s lips part in surprise, and the first thing she does is hold herself back, telling herself not to be so impatient, too greedy - she isn't going to shove her tongue in there instantly. What a good girl. She adds some mental points to her list of things to be proud of today. Said list is embarrassingly small, but who the fuck cares; she's got a smoking hot boyfriend in her bed right now and that's all that matters in the world.

Aquilo remains hesitant, but definitely eager, leaning into the kiss that sparks tingles down Cherry’s spine. It lasts for a few more seconds before she breaks the kiss, placing her hand on Aquilo’s heaving chest. “...more?” Cherry asks, a little breathless herself. They haven't even done anything yet and Cherry already feels like she's melting into a puddle of goo.

Aquilo chuckles, exhaling shakily. “More as in volume or depth?” 

“You shan't utter such mathematical terms in the bedroom,” Cherry commands cheekily, burying her head in her neck, inhaling his fresh scent. Aquilo’s broken into a bit of a sweat and even his skin is feverish to the touch - Cherry’s proud of herself for being the cause of this (yet again).

“How about more and… and deeper?” Aquilo asks, his voice faltering. She feels a hand thread through her thick curly mess, smoothening it out.

Cherry smile grows predatory. “I thought you'd never ask.”

Aquilo stares at her, lips slightly parted, eyes wide in wonder, face flushing. “I… uhh,” he stammers, clutching at her waist. “W-what… what's… this?”

“Do you want to back out?” Cherry trails her hand up his chest, until she's stroking his jaw with one finger. She’s pretty sure his answer is no; she can feel him trembling under her touch, after all. Despite himself, he's all but leaning into her, his eyes half-lidded and eagerness showing.

“This is okay?” His voice is hesitant, but he just needs that _one_ final push…

“Yeah,” she says, and then feels the air squashed out of her as Aquilo mumbles softly, holding her even tighter in his embrace. Half the reason why her face is so red is because she's so close to him, feeling the heat of his body pressed against hers, and the other half is because Aquilo is slowly suffocating her with his weight.

“Get off,” she gasps, pushing at the blond.

Aquilo can't help a few chuckles at that. “S-sorry. Get on top of me.”

“Why not you?” Cherry asks teasingly, even as she clambers onto his chest.

“I don't want to crush you.” Aquilo’s being all bashful again. To his credit, he does attempt to look Cherry in the eye, but his nerves constantly get the better of him. His gaze travels from her eyes, to her lips, and his blush intensifies as his eyes dip lower - and _oh_.

Cherry’s smile remains bright as she attempts to discreetly adjust her shirt collar. “What a gentleman,” she says lightly. Aquilo glares and hisses at her again, and she imagines him with cat ears, flat against his head. Oh yeah, she'd definitely get him to wear those sometime, but later.

No intrusions, no friends, no parents. Just him and her, alone. She could get used to this.

Leaning in again, she brushes her lips against his, feeling his breath hitch at the feather-light touch, narrowly avoiding bumping noses. She tries to get a feel for this new position, her breasts pressed against his hard chest. Her hands feel useless, so she cautiously reaches out for Aquilo’s short blond hair that's now been slightly mussed up from their activities.

Licking her lips, she decides she likes the taste of him. It's just like their first time locking lips - so soft and delicious and just so _Aquilo_. His half-lidded blue eyes follow the motion of her tongue, a flash of desire in them, a little darker hue of blue than usual. Cherry feels a flash of pride swell up in her chest, being stared at so intently like that.

“Cherry…” he murmurs. His hand settles on her shoulders for just a moment, then he's tracing the curve of her spine, then down to her waist, her hips. His touches are exploratory, languid, never lingering in one place for too long. Cherry blushes, feeling her body respond to his curiosity, feeling sweat trail down her neck, her heart pounding in her ribcage. Cherry just _knows_ he's got quite a bit of experience under his stiff demeanour. His self-control is finally crumbling - now to hook him in.

She wants to stay like this forever, both of them so close they can feel each other's breath on their lips.

“Come on, please,” she says, grabbing at him impatiently, because frankly she forgot to study Subtle Seductiveness before this entire thing and hasn't the faintest idea what a sexy hook would be. Luckily, Aquilo doesn't mind, taking a deep breath before simply tilting his head and going in for the kiss this time.

This feels… new, the sparks of sensation trailing through Cherry’s veins as she feels Aquilo’s warm tongue prod at her entrance for permission, his hand brushing at the back of her head. As Cherry parts her lips willingly, letting him slowly slide his tongue over her own, she can _feel_ him make vague sounds of satisfaction.

_Yes._ Cherry closes her eyes, feeling the sensations wash over her entire being. This is good. The stuff they did back on the train was a hurried affair of dominance; _this_ time, Cherry takes her sweet, sweet time to slow down and explore Aquilo’s warm, wet mouth. She notes how Aquilo lets her do whatever she wants, allowing her to run her tongue along the underside of his, feeling the warmth and wet texture of his tongue. Her sensors are primed to catch any signs of discomfort from the blond: the instant he pulls away, clutching at her a little harder, she slows down. This is followed by her withdrawing from his mouth, caressing his shoulders and asking, “You okay?”

Apparently her tongue is magic because it seems to have catapulted her boyfriend into the realm beyond words. He nods, his breath ragged, hands scabbling at her back. “...not the teeth,” he manages to get out, before he presses his lips to hers again.

_Oh my, someone's eager._ Cherry subconsciously puffs out her chest at being able to get Aquilo into such a state, so hungry for her kisses and her attention on him. Her heart soars, the way Aquilo runs his hands softly through her hair giving her shivers. The room’s definitely getting warmer, her bangs plastered to her forehead. Aquilo’s mere presence heats her up from the inside, and when she deepens the kiss Aquilo _moans_ and tugs on her hair. The sound travels straight to her groin, and Cherry answers with a sigh of her own.

It's at this moment that Cherry thanks all of the vocal training Taro made them endure, because it had equipped Cherry (and Aquilo) with the extremely important skill of dragging a makeout session for longer than usual. Which is just fine by Cherry, since she has all the time in the world to twine her tongue with his, swallowing all of the completely adorable sounds he's letting out, and she finds herself needing to stop only after she's taken quite a large bite out of her metaphorical meal. With the way things are heading, however, Cherry delights in the fact that she may never get enough. There's a burning sensation in her chest, setting her entire body on fire from the inside out, and it's pleasant and insatiable all the same.

“This is a good look on you,” she whispers, caressing his cheek.

Cherry watches in slight amusement as Aquilo blinks the pleasant haze out of his eyes. “What look?” Aquilo asks, though for once his look of frustration stems from how Cherry’s wasting valuable breath _talking_ instead of kissing him senseless. Not that he'd ever admit it, but Cherry isn't blind to the way Aquilo’s eyes keep flicking to her lips longingly. She smiles and pinches his cheek, making him mumble in protest. _Cute._

“Life’s so much better when you stop restraining yourself, isn't it?” Cherry asks teasingly. And it's true - sprawled across her bed like this, she can observe the specks of pink across his face, his kiss-swollen lips, how his blond hair spills out across her sheets and the way he's looking up at her with desire in his gaze. It's the first time in years she's seen him so unraveled, so relaxed. She wants to see more in the future, craves it, even.

“You're infuriating,” he drawls, his voice flat. Cherry simultaneously praises and abhors his self-control. But then again, it's what makes dragging him down along with her so fun, isn't it?

“Well then, what am I able to do so that I may lower my anger-inducing points?” Cherry grins.

“We’re on your _bed_ , Cheryl. I think it's pretty obvious,” Aquilo growls, and his fingers tighten in her shirt’s cotton fabric. Cherry shudders slightly at her real name being uttered in such a low, sexy tone. It's strange, actually, to have her actual name be an indicator of how intimate they are, tangled up like this among her sheets.

He really doesn't want to voice his needs, does he? Bad boy, making her do all the dirty work. Too bad Cherry isn't going to just give in _that_ easily.

“Quilly,” she coos, leaning in and… kissing him on the forehead. “If you don't tell me what you want, you aren't going to get it~”

Aquilo utters a low murmur, and Cherry is starting to gain a new appreciation of the full vocal capability of human beings. She lowers her head, peppering the nape of his neck with soft, light kisses. Aquilo can't seem to work out what he wants to do, so he just tugs at her hair, his sighs interrupted by periodic (unwanted) laughter. “Ch-Cherry, come on, goddammit,” he grumbles, squirming under her attention.

“Ah-ah,” Cherry tuts, tracing her fingers along his collarbone and revelling in the resulting shivers. He's _addictive_ , Cherry’s quickly finding out - and she can't complain. “What did I say?”

Aquilo chews on his lip nervously. “I… I want… just kiss me already,” he mutters, his eyes flickering anywhere but at her, his brows furrowed, cheeks red.

Cherry grins, rising up to lean her forehead against Aquilo’s. “Like this?” she asks, pecking his lips.

Aquilo’s brow twitches, his glare back in full force. “No… back to… just now.” His fingers curl around her skin. He's dangerously close to clawing at her with his nails. Cherry scoffs to herself. Gee, if she had wanted some sort of wildcat in her bed she'd have gone to the zoo and brought one home. The tigers, lions, leopards and whatnot were _all_ guaranteed to be tamer then her boyfriend.

“So you admit you like it, then?”

“I… I, n-no…. uh… I mean, I guess... yes - mmph!” That simple agreement is all it takes for Cherry to crush their lips together again, in some sort of crazy conjoined heat of the moment. 

“You know, for future reference, it's called making out,” Cherry breathes as she separates from him, smirking down at the shocked expression on his face and his wide blue eyes. Her finger traces his angular jawline again. “So, shall we?”

Aquilo sighs in defeat. “Yeah… okay. You know what? Here,” he says quietly, kissing her back with just as much passion. Cherry allows herself to be swept away by it all, by the rhythm and the heat, Aquilo’s sighs of her name, her _real_ name, and just the closeness of his presence tie a little bow on top of her present to herself. 

She could get used to this: being pampered and feeling loved.

.

Neither of them notice the telltale jingle of keys or the sound of a lock turning before a voice rings out loud and clear in Mandarin, causing the teens to jump out of their skin. “Xiao Li, we're back!”

Aquilo and Cherry take these five seconds to hurry and separate from each other. Cherry swipes at the thread of saliva connecting their mouths just as her parents enter her room. And… they look scandalised, as expected, jaws dropping and seeming absolutely floored. They don't seem disapproving, though, so it's a start.

“Hiiii, mom, dad,” Cherry says sheepishly, trying to discreetly lick her lips, chasing the taste of her boyfriend that's still left behind. 

“What a surprise. Aquilo, what are you doing here?” Her mother blinks in surprise. 

Aquilo’s face is completely red as he grips Cherry’s waist tighter. “Nothing important,” he mutters, his embarrassment hanging thick and heavy in the air. He only looks up to glance at her parents every so often to fulfill his politeness quota; it's clear he'd rather be staring at the floor.

Cherry just laughs awkwardly and hopes that her parents catch the hint to get out of her room. What can she say, after all? _Mom, dad, I love you guys but I'm trying to make out with my boyfriend here. Toodles!_

...oh _crap_ , she hasn't told her parents about him yet.

“This ‘nothing important’ absolutely had to be done on her _bed_? With your arms around each other?” Cherry’s father’s piercing brown eyes glare a hole straight through the blond. 

Well, there goes any chance of convincing her parents that they were actually just… assembling jigsaw puzzles, or something.

Cherry’s mother tugs him back in alarm. “H-hey, let’s talk it out first -”

“You!” He bellows, making Aquilo flinch and curl up into a ball, eyes wide and terrified. “Tonight I will be having a chat with your parents -”

“Derek, we have _talked_ about this -”

Cherry looks on in dismay as her parents begin quarrelling right in front of her boyfriend. She pushes her embarrassment to the side and whispers to Aquilo, still curled around her body, “Go now!”

He doesn't need any further prodding, scrambling off the bed and making a mad dash for the door. With practiced skill, he unlocks the door and bolts outside even as her parents remain too stunned to react.

The family just stares at each other until Cherry finally stands up and makes her way outside to re-lock the door, feeling her skin prickle with shame, but also some sort of gleeful thrill. She sighs as she turns the knob on the inside of the door, hearing her parents argue it out in her room.

“Did you see how _disheveled_ they looked? Even if we _know_ Aquilo, this is simply unacceptable! I… I didn't think he'd do this!”

“So, it's our darling and that boy, hmm?”

“How can you be so calm about this?!”

Cherry laughs weakly as she checks that the door is properly locked once again, not because she actually needs to, but because it gives her an excuse to not interact with her parents right now.

Faintly, Cherry smiles. Now she's pretty sure where her tastes in men come from.

.

“Aquilo, what's this about you sexually harassing Cherry?”

“...I'll be right back, dad.”


	2. Café

Aquilo’s finally gotten that damned fluffball to inch closer to him when he hears a high-pitched voice chirp, “Oh, hi!”

“...hey.” Aquilo flicks his eyes over to the familiar girl in what he hopes is a non-committal glance. She's dressed in a simple beige sweater and brown jeans, small bag slung over her shoulder. Her signature hair has been tied up and hidden underneath a brown beret. Cherry’s eyes seem weary, but from the way she bounces on the balls of her feet at the sight of him, she still seems lively enough.

“I'm here cause my parents are being all parent-y and stuff. How about you?” Cherry asks, plopping down beside Aquilo on the green seat cushion, narrowly avoiding the Russian Blue that's curled up next to it. “You should have seen them,” she says with amusement glittering in her dark eyes. She reaches out for the small cat and scratches it's ear, watching it close its eyes contentedly.

Honestly, Aquilo should have predicted she’d come here. It's always been one of their favourite places to be, back when they were younger and begging their parents to take them, to stay another hour to pet the cute kitties. The blue-furred cat’s always been one of their favourites. Named Muffin, she was sweet and always eager to play.

“...I'm here because Iggy freaked out on me. And then my mom. And then my dad.” Aquilo sighs and closes his eyes. He knows Iggy means well, but he believes he speaks for his entire family when he says he wishes he'd lay off a little. He did use to think it was funny, but now it's just tiring. He feels so done.

Also, how dare she waltz into the café and steal the very cat he was petting? This meant _war_. A war that hadn't concluded for the past ten years or so.

“Oh, same. My dad was still freaking out on my mom when I left.” Cherry laughs. Aquilo scrambles to hide his face in his hands. The hood he's wearing doesn't quite hide the blush. Should just how much he loves the sound of this girl’s laughter be a cause for alarm, or?

“Did no one recognise you?” Aquilo doesn't have the heart to glare at her, so he simply fixes his attention on a tabby cat, named Troll, in the distance, being fawned over by a couple.

“Kind of same logic with models and makeup, I guess.” Aquilo feels a tap on his shoulder and turns to find a truly adorable sight greeting him. Cherry beams up at him, brighter than the sun, as the blue-furred cat lays curled up in her lap, pudding contentedly. 

Goddamn it, he thought cat cafés were supposed to be places to _relax_ , not places to be murdered by his sinfully cute girlfriend. No cat could hold a candle to her beauty.

Okay, so, that's his excuse why he's so distracted for today - his girlfriend fucking _exists_. That must be why he goes ahead and asks, “So your place is blocked, my place is a no, so where do we go to make out now?”

Cherry just stares and stares and stares at him, her expression disbelieving. Aquilo’s skin prickles in shame, and for a second he seriously considers provoking the cat lounging on her lap, in hopes it'll claw him to death, or something. At the very least he'd have an excuse to be escorted out of this place.

Oh god, why did he say that? No, no, take it back, take it _back_. _This is what you get for thinking with your dick and not your brain, you fucking idiot,_ Aquilo scolds himself, blushing furiously. He just _had_ to mess shit up.

“Oh my god,” Cherry whispers, and then she just sits there and laughs at him. Aquilo wants to glare at her but he's pretty sure he's in the wrong this time, so he goes for hanging his head in shame, staring at the table with the cute cat-themed glass on it. He wonders if tea washes out of hair easily.

“Quilly, look at me,” she says, the traces of laughter still evident in her tone. 

“I will not, for I have sinned.” Aquilo squeezes his eyes firmly shut. Seriously, their family life is in jeopardy and all he can think about is… is… _kissing her_? Aquilo blushes even harder, remembering how soft and red Cherry’s lips were, and how she parted his lips expertly with her skilled tongue, the sheer exhilaration he felt… his entire being _aches_ at the thought of this privilege being revoked.

He just really, _really_ wants to kiss her again, his heart fluttering just at the mere thought of it.

When the fuck did he fall so deep?

Then Aquilo squeaks as he feels Cherry gently, but firmly turn his head towards her. He bites the inside of his cheek, staring at the sleepy Muffin that's now stretched out on its back. Then his eyes wander back up, tracing the nape of her smooth neck, marvelling at how some of her strands of hair have become undone and fall across her pale skin. Aquilo’s body trembles.

“I'm… I’m flattered, Quilly,” Cherry says, still slightly breathless, her words light with amusement. “I just didn't think you’d say that out loud.”

“I shouldn't have,” Aquilo mutters, wringing his hands together.

“Oh, no, don't worry. I could sense it was on your mind.” A conspirational wink that has him on the edge of his seat. “Trust me, I knew.”

“You what? You… crap.” Aquilo blinks, and blearily he wonders if his entire body is flushing red right now, because it feels like it. He'd have discarded his hoodie right there and then if he didn't want to be interrupted by fans on this weird coincidental date. He's _sweltering_ , and he's pretty sure it's not from the heat.

“You're not quite as discreet as you think you are.” Cherry grins, leaning in with a mischievous smirk dancing on her lips, and Aquilo is pretty sure he's about to explode from it all. His breath catches in his throat, and he feels so giddy and breathless, so _high_.

_I'm weak._

To his combined annoyance and dismay, Cherry has to pull back to stop Muffin from clambering all over her. “Okay, but to answer your question, I think we'll have to lay low for now.” The corner of her lips twitch. “Or we could ask our friends!”

“Like who, Cherry?” Aquilo rolls his eyes. “I doubt we can just stroll inside and tell them to fuck off so we can do raunchy things on their couch.”

Another wink. “Ah, but I bet you were thinking of just that.”

“Can't sue me for thought crime, Cherry,” Aquilo says drily, lifting the glass to his lips. “I'm a sixteen-year-old. Nobody’s perfect.”

“Oh, shut it.” Cherry giggles as Muffin suddenly dashes off, apparently tempted by the catnip toy a little girl is waving around. Aquilo watches, mesmerised, as the blue-furred cat yowls and meows and hisses at the pink feathers, scrabbling at it and even wrestling the large Maine Coon, Zorro, for it. And that's excuse number two for today; Aquilo is so caught up in watching the fluffballs skitter around that he registers that it's Cherry’s lips pressed to his a split second after she pulls away.

“Green tea? Good choice,” she all but purrs, wiping at her mouth with one sleeve. Cherry would really fit this café’s aesthetic, with the energy she carries herself with and whatever other utterly _adorable_ dumb stuff she does.

“You could… you could have just asked to share,” Aquilo splutters, his mind hazy with want. Could he kiss her now? He really wants to. Briefly, he allows his eyes to dart around the wooden, cozy interior. Now, Aquilo might be a teen with lack of better judgement and questionable life decisions, but no way is he adding ‘public nuisance’ to that list. No, another time… but it's getting harder and harder to restrain himself as the days go by.

Another wink that makes his legs jelly. He'd have crashed if he weren't already sitting down. “With all this stuff happening right now, I'll take all the fun we can get,” Cherry whispers, nodding. Aquilo really, really wishes their families will resolve their tiff quickly, because there's going to be dire consequences here if he doesn't get to cuddle with his girlfriend soon. Really! He swears.

Damn it, he's placing a personal ban on all things Cherry once this is over. 

He'll probably break his word in approximately five seconds, but fuck if he cares.


End file.
